Bac 1-11

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Member for

20 years 7 months

Posts: 131

Hi everyone,

Following up my post from a couple of days ago, what are member's recollections of the BAC 1-11? I love the plane, mainly due to the noise, fond memories of playing golf at Shannon late 90s, trying to concentrate on my backswing as one roared off overhead!!

Any recollections? Or pics?

Mark

Original post

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 3,539

It was the first and last plane to make me very nearly crap myself! :D I was in the approach field at STN whilst an old EAL one approached. Just as it was about to fly over my head, it's engines roared into action and it made a tight bank abover my head (a go around). However, I wasn't aware of what a go-around was in those days as a kid, and so for a moment I thought it was gonna crash!

Other than that, loved 'em! Used to see AB and EAL ones all the time here at STN, such a shame to not see them making their noise and billowing out their smoke any more.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 11,159

My mate John as a child flew on one and swore it was called the BAC 1-11 becuase he boarded it through the back. I tried to explain, but alas to no avail...

Member for

20 years 10 months

Posts: 86

The 1.11, a fantastic aircraft! I started my flying career on them. I loved them. They were noisy from both outside and in. If you were operating as the No2 crew member on the rear crewseat for take off and landing, reverse thrust on landing was particularly spectacular. I can remember landing in Jersey (short runway) on several occassions being thrust forward against my seat harness as the breaks and reverse thrust were applied, sounds a bit dramatic I know but as a young air steward with a passion for aicraft I was in heaven!!!!!!!!!

They are a rare sight now but they still hold a very special place for me.

Purser

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 5,019

i remember once at BHX i think the plane was out of fuel so requested emergency landing and when it landed it was literally out of gas

Member for

20 years 7 months

Posts: 131

In tandem with this, what is people's opinions (sensible, not "they are a load of rubbish") on the rulings that have meant these aircraft an no longer fly? I think it is a crying shame, but the price of progress. Wouldn't it be nice if some rich oil tycoon with a passion for aviation could keep one running for airshows etc. I promise I'l do that when I make my millions

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 11,159

Weren't there plans on the board to launch a updated 1-11 in the early 80's ? Essentially producing a quieter version with modern , efficient turbofans. I seem to remember this being discussed at the time but required a sizeable order from BA or something to make it work ?

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 10,625

I think so. But the Boeing 737 was too strong also Fokker 70 and 100 then the MD80/90 series screwed it too.

Member for

20 years 11 months

Posts: 12,842

The RR tay's were the culprit, one of the noisiest jet engines ever produced

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 939

Lovely plane - Despite all the airports I have been to and airshows attended, the only time I actually thought my ear drums were going to burst was when I was working at Edinburgh airport on the taxiway joining the old runway when a British Caledonian 1-11 taxied out and took off about 200 feet away. Absolutely earth shattering.

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 939

Originally posted by steve rowell
The RR tay's were the culprit, one of the noisiest jet engines ever produced

I think they were RR Speys weren't they?

Member for

20 years 11 months

Posts: 12,842

I stand corrected, perhaps that's what i was thinking of

Member for

20 years 10 months

Posts: 86

After production finished in the UK were'nt they being built in Romania under some sort of agreement?

To re-engine the aircraft I believe was totally cost prohibitive, a real shame as they were one of the best, along with the VC-10.

Member for

20 years 11 months

Posts: 12,842

British United Airways became the launch customer by placing an order for 10 of the twin-engine, 80-seat aircraft in May of 1961 and the first BAC One-Eleven flew on August 20, 1963 - a year and half before the DC-9 and three and a half years before the 737.
This lead was short lived, however. Once Douglas and Boeing got their small jets airborne, the competition became a two-horse race between them. They offered several variations to please airlines while BAC was slow to respond catering mostly it seems to the needs of BEA.
While it can safely be said to have been a success with sales of 241, the DC-9 (and MD-80 derivatives) and 737 have sold in excess of 6,000 and the 737 is the best selling jetliner of all time.

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 5,019

how many airlines are left today that operate them

Member for

21 years 1 month

Posts: 1,029

My first cockpit visit was on a Laker Airways Bac1-11 (G-AVBW) from Gatwick / Alicante / Gatwick on 3/11/79.
Sat on jumpseat from pushback at LGW to arrival back at LGW.
A wonderful day on a wonderful aircraft

Member for

20 years 9 months

Posts: 661

Looks like we all remember the noise the most! Spent many an hour at Gatwick watching DA and BCAL 1-11 launching. They were much noisier that the 747-100's,Caravelles and even 707's! Nowonder they had the nickname of pocket rocket!

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 530

I flew 1-11's twice, both DA once to Salzberg, the other to IBZ. Sat facing BACKWARDS for the IBz flight as we had emergency exit seats. A great aircraft, fell to bits in your hand!!!!:eek:

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,538

Originally posted by purser
After production finished in the UK were'nt they being built in Romania under some sort of agreement?

Yes they were. They were built by ROMAVIA(?) and I believe DanAir operated some of these aircraft. An offshoot of ROMAVIA called BRASOV built a glider called an IS28 which BAC (gawd bless 'em :rolleyes: ) built in exchange! The Romanian built 1-11's were referred to as the ROMBAC 1-11.

Member for

21 years

Posts: 268

Funny how you take something for granted then they are no-more ! First time I flew in a 1-11 was Gatwick to Girona with B.Cal, I also flew on one from Luton to Basel with Court Lines, several BA ones out of MAN and Ryanair from Liverpool to Dublin.

I can remember at one time the Ryanair BAC 1-11 was the most regular jet we saw at Liverpool after BD pulled off the LHR service. There are many more jets using Liverpool these days, but none are 1-11s anymore, sad really.

With all the regional jet operating today CRJ etc its a pity that BAe missed that with. Maybe with an upgrade 1-11 they would have been succesfull. I think the 146 was an expensive plane to operate with having four engines.

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 3,539

Down here where I live just a few miles from STN, we used to quite often be shook by the 1-11's. The way it works out, is that if the wind is in a particular direction, they use the runway with the planes taking-off, engines facing away from us, and the wind carries the sound towards us! It would usually be incredibly loud considering we are still 3 miles from the runway, the most we get nowadays are the Ryanair -200's and the FedEx MD-11's usually cause a bit noise!